Happy Memorial Day 2013

Let's remember the men and women who lost their lives in defending our country, who died while serving in the Arm Forces of the United States.

Happy Memorial Day 2013

While this day, is a US Federal Holiday, it usually occurs during the last Monday of May.  Many Citizens across the country visit friends and families to celebrate. 

Be Safe Always during your travel and during your celebrations. 

US Comprehensive Immigration Reform Starts Rolling

It is apparent that the United States will tackle a newer comprehensive immigration reform system that will measure up to the 21st Century.

Today, President Obama conveyed to the American People his vision and desire to accomplish in regards to a new Comprehensive Immigration Reform System of the United States of America. Some of his poignant comments are shared below as a preview:

"When we talk about that in the abstract, it’s easy sometimes for the discussion to take on a feeling of “us” versus “them.”  And when that happens, a lot of folks forget that most of “us” used to be “them.”  We forget that."  
 
"It’s really important for us to remember our history.  Unless you’re one of the first Americans, a Native American, you came from someplace else.  Somebody brought you." 

credit: whitehouse.gov

"We define ourselves as a nation of immigrants.  That’s who we are -- in our bones.  The promise we see in those who come here from every corner of the globe, that’s always been one of our greatest strengths.  It keeps our workforce young.  It keeps our country on the cutting edge.  And it’s helped build the greatest economic engine the world has ever known."

"We have to make sure that every business and every worker in America is playing by the same set of rules.  We have to bring this shadow economy into the light so that everybody is held accountable -- businesses for who they hire, and immigrants for getting on the right side of the law.  That’s common sense.  And that’s why we need comprehensive immigration reform."

"I’m here because most Americans agree that it’s time to fix a system that’s been broken for way too long."  "I’m here because business leaders, faith leaders, labor leaders, law enforcement, and leaders from both parties are coming together to say now is the time to find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as the land of opportunity. Now is the time to do this so we can strengthen our economy and strengthen our country’s future." said President Barack Obama, source: whitehouse.gov

The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the government will play their roles including 'We the People' of America. Of course, there will be politicking to play in the next weeks and months. The debate will bring opinions and unusual perspectives about such a vision. 

Mr. Obama's Immigration Reform touches many core issues that impact the American Society as a whole.  Many will disagree while majority will agree. Here are some of the points about the Comprehensive Immigration Reform he proposed, and your ideas and insights are equally essential to be heard. 

1. Keep Families Together. The proposal seeks to eliminate existing backlogs in the family-sponsored immigration system by recapturing unused visas and temporarily increasing annual visa numbers.  The proposal also raises existing annual country caps from 7 percent to 15 percent for the family-sponsored immigration system.   It also treats same-sex families as families by giving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same-sex partner. The proposal also revises current unlawful presence bars and provides broader discretion to waive bars in cases of hardship.

2. “Staple” green cards to advanced STEM diplomas.  The proposal encourages foreign graduate students educated in the United States to stay here and contribute to our economy by “stapling” a green card to the diplomas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) PhD and Master’s Degree graduates from qualified U.S. universities who have found employment in the United States.  It also requires employers to pay a fee that will support education and training to grow the next generation of American workers in STEM careers.

3. Create a “startup visa” for job-creating entrepreneurs.  The proposal allows foreign entrepreneurs who attract financing from U.S. investors or revenue from U.S. customers to start and grow their businesses in the United States, and to remain permanently if their companies grow further, create jobs for American workers, and strengthen our economy.

4.Encourage integration. The proposal promotes earned citizenship and efforts to integrate immigrants into their new American communities linguistically, civically, and economically.

5. Earned citizenship for DREAMers. Children brought here illegally through no fault of their own by their parents will be eligible for earned citizenship.  By going to college or serving honorably in the Armed Forces for at least two years, these children should be given an expedited opportunity to earn their citizenship.  The President’s proposal brings these undocumented immigrants out of the shadows.

6. Create a provisional legal status.  Undocumented immigrants must come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass criminal background and national security checks, and pay fees and penalties before they will be eligible for a provisional legal status.  Agricultural workers and those who entered the United States as children would be eligible for the same program.  Individuals must wait until the existing legal immigration backlogs are cleared before getting in line to apply for lawful permanent residency (i.e. a “green card”), and ultimately United States citizenship. Consistent with current law, people with provisional legal status will not be eligible for welfare or other federal benefits, including subsidies or tax credits under the new health care law.

7.Create strict requirements to qualify for lawful permanent resident status.  Those applying for green cards must pay their taxes, pass additional criminal background and national security checks, register for Selective Service (where applicable), pay additional fees and penalties, and learn English and U.S. civics.  As under current law, five years after receiving a green card, individuals will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship like every other legal permanent resident.

8. Mandatory, phased-in electronic employment verification. The President’s proposal provides tools for employers to ensure a legal workforce by using federal government databases to verify that the people they hire are eligible to work in the United States.  Penalties for hiring undocumented workers are significantly increased, and new penalties are established for committing fraud and identity theft.  The new mandatory program ensures the privacy and confidentiality of all workers’ personal information and includes important procedural protections.  Mandatory electronic employment verification would be phased in over five years with exemptions for certain small businesses.

9. Combat fraud and identity theft.  The proposal also mandates a fraud‐resistant, tamper‐resistant Social Security card and requires workers to use fraud‐and tamper‐resistant documents to prove authorization to work in the United States. The proposal also seeks to establish a voluntary pilot program to evaluate new methods to authenticate identity and combat identity theft.

10. Improve partnerships with border communities and law enforcement.  The President’s proposal expands our ability to work with our cross-border law enforcement partners.  Community trust and cooperation are keys to effective law enforcement. To this end, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will establish border community liaisons along the Southern and Northern borders to improve communication and collaboration with border communities, boost funding to tribal government partners to reduce illegal activity on tribal lands, and strengthen training on civil rights and civil liberties for DHS immigration officers.

11. Improve our nation’s immigration courts.  The President’s proposal invests in our immigration courts. By increasing the number of immigration judges and their staff, investing in training for court personnel, and improving access to legal information for immigrants, these reforms will improve court efficiency.  It allows DHS to better focus its detention resources on public safety and national security threats by expanding alternatives to detention and reducing overall detention costs.  It also provides greater protections for those least able to represent themselves.

12. Cracking Down on Employers Hiring Undocumented Workers: Our businesses should only employ people legally authorized to work in the United States.  Businesses that knowingly employ undocumented workers are exploiting the system to gain an advantage over businesses that play by the rules.  The President’s proposal is designed to stop these unfair hiring practices and hold these companies accountable.  At the same time, this proposal gives employers who want to play by the rules a reliable way to verify that their employees are here legally.

13. Streamlining Legal Immigration:  Our immigration system should reward anyone who is willing to work hard and play by the rules.  For the sake of our economy and our security, legal immigration should be simple and efficient.  The President’s proposal attracts the best minds to America by providing visas to foreign entrepreneurs looking to start businesses here and helping the most promising foreign graduate students in science and math stay in this country after graduation, rather than take their skills to other countries.  The President’s proposal will also reunify families in a timely and humane manner.

14. Combat transnational crime.  The President’s proposal creates new criminal penalties dedicated to combating transnational criminal organizations that traffic in drugs, weapons, and money, and that smuggle people across the borders.  It also expands the scope of current law to allow for the forfeiture of these organizations’ criminal tools and proceeds.  Through this approach, we will bolster our efforts to deprive criminal enterprises, including those operating along the Southwest border, of their infrastructure and profits.

To understand more about other proposed areas of the reform in order to fix the long broken Immigration System; please click on the link to read the complete Fact Sheet: Fixing our Broken Immigration System so Everyone Plays by the Rules

Please click the link to read the complete text of President Obama's Remarks on Immigration Reform

This will be a long road to travel, but with collaborative efforts of all concerned citizens, private and public sectors, the agencies of the government; a new reform will patch up the broken system. In that way, our Immigration Laws will be revised and become current for the 21st Century.

As a society, we will benefit enormously, from the global talents and economic growth as a nation plus we will re-affirm to recognize our strength that we were founded by immigrants as symbolized by the Historical Accounts of the Ellis Island in New York, and the standing Statue of Liberty, in Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

The Ellis Island View from Battery Park, NY

Photo credit: Ken Thomas_wikipedia.org

Immigrants arrived from various countries to be processed in Ellis Island, NY

Photo credit: Library of Congress_wikipedia.org

The Restored Hall where immigrants had to wait for their immigration status in Ellis Island

Photo credit: @junteet

Some of immigrants' trunks and baskets which they brought with them when arrived in Ellis Island, 

Exhibited today in the Museum for tourist to see some artifacts of history.

Photo credit: @junteet

Photo credit: @junteet

Your comments and insights are appreciated always. Your comments can be shared at the comments field below. Thanks.

English Proficiency is a Global Business Competency

Today, we thought of reinforcing a previously published article to help you with a personal guide on how you gauge yourself in your speaking abilities. When you work in an English speaking country and your mother tongue is not English, there are times that challenges in speaking occurs.

We are giving you a mock up list of descriptions that may be relevant to your own personal experience and proficiency. Try it out, and then let us know how you fair.

Procedure:

Please choose all applicable items below that will describe your present abilities when you are speaking in English with another individual at any given setting such as; at home, at a party, among friends, applying to a job, on the telephone, in the store buying something, at a doctor’s office or at any location where you need English as the means to share your idea.

	1	I can only say the words I learned from my language classes through memorization and grammar
	2	I struggle to find the right word or phrase to say
	3	I cannot explain myself when asked to describe. Unless the other person will ask me something that is answered only with yes or no
	4	I only ask simple questions but cannot discuss more to inquire about the details
	5	I can ask and answer simple questions that are only familiar to me
	6	I can talk about usual activities that I was trained for. I can engage with simple conversations but limited to discuss more information that may be relative to activities. I cannot do a progressive conversation
	7	I can share certain degree of fluency during conversations with native speakers on familiar topics, express and support my ideas but will not engage with topics that are broad and need more knowledge because I don’t have all the words and expressions to support my views
	8	I can express myself fluently without searching for informal expressions during basic conversations but don’t have control on topics within the business environment. I lack technical terms to engage with better conversations professionally
	9	I can use the language somewhat effectively for informal social and professional purposes. I can share my ideas and opinions with confidence but limited with formal expressions and cannot handle specific topics that require additional situations like entertainments, jobs, articles with specific focus, sharing more in depth knowledge on certain topics

To read the complete article, please visit "How can I tell that I need .... "

Perspectives:
Globally, English is the understood preferred language of major businesses enterprises, business men or women and their families.

Language competencies and proficiencies are equally essential to those who find opportunities within English speaking countries, they will learn to speak English the best they can.

Among the workforce of multi-national organizations, who migrated to the United States, they face many challenges when articulating their ideas with their co-workers. They learn to polish their conversational English.

For the employees who are English speakers (their mother tongue is English), they also face many challenges when it comes to writing and articulating their ideas. They get confused on many grammatical features of the English language. This is because they did not learn the correctness of the linguistic features when growing up. Today, when engaged in speaking and or writing reports for management consumption they often commit mistakes like the non-native English speakers.

USA: 2010 Mileage Rates - IRS Announced

Yesterday, December 3rd 2009 - the US IRS (Internal Revenue Services) Announced the Optional 2010 Mileage Rates applicable costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

50 cents per mile for business miles driven
16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The effectivity of above identified Mileage Rates will be January 1, 2010. Per IRS studies, compared to a year ago these rates for 2010 are lower because of lower transportation costs.

In order to read the actual announcement from US IRS, please click on the link - IRS Announced 2010 Mileage.

For questions and inquiries please send to: info@jntconsulting.com

For your comments regarding this article please add your comments at comments box provided at the bottom of the article.

Disclaimer: Links to third party comments are provided as a courtesy to readers and visitors. Any shared opinion or information under the comments section are the responsibility of such third parties.

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USA: US Lawful Permanent Residents Included in the US-VISIT Procedures Expansion

The Department of Homeland Security published a Final Rule that expanded the categories of all non-US citizens will be required to participate in biometrics collection - digital fingerprints and a photograph upon entry to the United States throught US-VISIT (United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) Program.

Effective January 18, 2009 - all of the following non-US citizens will be required to provide biometrics when entering or re-entering the United States:

• Lawful Permanent Residents of United States (a. at land border port, if they are referred to secondary inspection under the discretion of the inspecting officer, b. at seaports, when returning to US from an 'open' cruise
• Persons entering US who seek admission on immigrant visas;
• Persons entering the US who seek admission as refufees and asylees;
• Canadian citizens who are currently required to obtain a Form I-94 (Arrival Departure Record) upon entry or who required a waiver of inadmissibility to the United States; including applicants for nonimmigrant classifications such as C, D, F, H, I, J, L, M, O, P, Q1, Q3, R, S, T, TN and others who are referred to a secondary inspection;
• Persons paroled into the US
• Persons applying for admission under the Guam VWP
• H1B Visa holders when applying for a new multiple entry Form I-94 or when referred to secondary inspection for other reasons
• Non-US citizens who seek admission with Border Crossing Cards and who do not have a Form I-94, at the discretion of the CBP Officers

Please click on the link to read the details of the Fact Sheet issued by the Department of Homeland Security, dated December 19, 2008.

For questions or inquiries regarding additional information to compliance please contact: info@jntconsulting.com

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USA: TN Visas for Nationals of Canada and Mexico

Recently, the USCIS (United States Citizens and Immigration Services) announced the expansion of the Trade NAFTA (TN) Nonimmigrant Visa Program for professional workers from Canada and Mexico.

The annual extension of a TN Visa by a professional worker from Canada and Mexico has been changed to an increment of every 3 years. This expansion of the program will now be the same as the H1B Nonimmigrant Visa professional worker.

What This Means to TN Visa Holders? There are Five Highlights.

First, Any professional worker from either Canada and Mexico can now request for an extension of their TN Visa with an increment of three years instead of the usual annual extension.

Second, Workers must be advised to request for their three years extension when it is time to renew their TN Nonimmigrant Visa.

Third, Workers will now enjoy a once in every three years interruption from their job in regards to renewing their TN Visa.

Fourth, They can fully concentrate on their job function within three consecutive three years without getting bothered with their visa expiration date and renewals, thereby supporting the business goals and objectives of their employer.

Fifth, Increased productivity and Return On Investment.

What this means to an Employer? There are Four Highlights.

First, Each employer that sponsors TN Nonimmigrant Visa for professional worker from Canada or Mexico can experience a longer ease of visa renewals for their workers. This will advocate a better strategic approach, timing and calendaring of the TN Visa compliance which will expire every three years instead of every year.

Second, This facilitates higher retention and productivity of the TN Visa Holders, who are member of the workforce.

Third, This provides two years of savings of the usual Immigration Counsel's Fees and TN Application Fee, in addition to the Return on Investments from hiring the workers.

Fourth, This will advocate a better prospect in hiring professionals from Canada and Mexico to augment the shortage of technical and professional workers in the United States. TN Visas are adequate.

Observations:
With the current economy and its challenges, Employers must consider hiring through the benefits of TN Visa Program offers. This is a great value add to your organization.

When you need assistance in developing a TN Visa Program for your strategic recruitment of a foreign workforce. Please contact JNT Consulting LLC and we will develop and assist you with the implementation of the program and coach you in its administration.

JNT Consulting has a 100 percent success rate in a TN Visa Program consultation and management.

For questions and concerns about this article, please email to: info@jntconsulting.com 

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Global: International Updates: What's Happening?

Australia: International Trade
Recently, the Australian Business International Trade Services outlined several items to be considered when setting up a business in China.

Ms. Sara Cheng, Manager for Greater China, Australian Business International Trade Services identified that "Business set-up in China is a big project by itself, which requires financial and time commitments, business management knowledge and China expertise. Identifying a competent agent to manage the complex process will be a cost and time effective way to avoid potential pitfalls." Details about the Article is available at this link.

On another article, it illustrated the requirements about registering a company in China.
Ref: NSW Business Center, http://www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au/


Brazil: Experiencing Economic Growth
More and more international companies are opening their operations in the many cities of Brazil. This means that young professionals who would have planned to go abroad and search their international employment opportunities are staying in country.


There were indications as well that Brazilans who were living abroad are now returning to Brazil as there are employment opportunities that require their professional experience and qualifications.


Canada: Relaxed Visas and Opportunities for Permanent Residency
Recently, Diane Finley, Immigration Minister of Canada announced that "International students and skilled workers would be more likely to choose Canada if they knew their time and contribution to Canadian Society would assist in their eligibility to apply to stay permanently".

The Canadian government is in progress of establishing a programme that will facilitate the permanent residency of international skilled workers and students. It is hoped that this programme will come into effect in October.

Requirements for candidacy are: Professional experience, past education, English and or French Speaking Proficiency.


Strategic Observation: This initiative will surely increase human capital assets of Canada and will contribute to economic sustainability of the country.


China: Post Olympic
The logistical operations in Beijing are now returning to normal after the completion of the Olympics that was hosted by Beijing in the past weeks. However, the guidelines that were implemented prior to the Olympics are still in forced up to September 20th 2008.


Any inbound and outbound shipment in Beijing are still in strict and mandatory customs inspections. Deliveries of shipments are using shuttles and shuttle fees apply. These restrictions to operate trucks in the areas identified have caused backlog in Tianjin which most likely increased demurrage fees. It was initially announced that everything will resume normal after September 20th 2008.


Strategic Observations: If you have shipments that are anticipated to arrive or being delivered sooner than September 20th - don't panic as they will reach your destination a little longer that the normal calendar days. Most likely it will get delivered after Sept 20th or so.


Georgia: Cargo Delays and Travels
As an effect of the recent attacks in Georgia, there is a big disruption of cargo shipments deliveries. The international airport in Tbilisi has been temporarily avoided by international airlines. Officials are hopeful that it will only last for a week.

Jebel Ali, UAE - Delays Caused by Traffic
The Post in Jebel Ali in UAE is currently experiencing great delays of loading and offloading cargos due near full capacity operation. The delays affected ships from Asia and Europe that were meant to offload in Dubai Port. This port is the gateway access to the internal routes of the country such as air and sea transportation network.


Larger ships that can carry 8,000 containers at a time has to wait 24 to 30 hours in the queue in order to offload. Smaller ships has a longer waiting time as much as 90 hours.

Strategic Observations: You might consider the time element as an impact to the above consequences when shipping to any location that will pass through Dubai Port.

 Kazakhstan: Foreign Citizens Registration
It is important that foreign citizens arriving in this country must register with the Police or with a License Hotel within 5 calendar days of arrival.


Foreign labor market and economic quota requirements will become available in December 2008.


Suggestions: Before you travel to Kasakhtan you will need to verify whether your hotel is Licensed for Registration of Foreign Citizens. In that way, you will strategically plan your time ahead.

Philippines: Angara at the Forum by Global Leadership for Climate Action
In Denver, Colorado, USA – Sen. Edgardo J. Angara told a forum here that fresh initiatives to combat climate change should likewise deal with the food shortages and poverty in developing countries, two grave problems in the developing world that are aggravated by extreme climatic shifts.

Angara made the call at a forum jointly hosted by the Club de Madrid, which is chaired by former US President Bill Clinton, and the Global Leadership for Climate Action, a United Nations Foundation founded by CNN founder Ted Turner. Angara was the only Filipino leader in that forum.


Angara said; "that violent typhoons and record-breaking monsoon rains have crippled rice and corn production in Southeast Asia. Extreme weather events have also turned rice production deltas in the region into watery graveyards for those killed by savage flooding."

To read the details of the Article, please click this link:

Ref: Manila Bulletin (http://www.mb.com.ph/ ), Aug 28, 2008.

United Kingdom: EU fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals (EIF) 2007
"The European Integration Fund is aimed at newly-arrived legal migrants (that is migrants who have arrived within the last 5 years) who are not asylum seekers, refugees, EU or EEA nationals and who have not come to the United Kingdom in a short-term visa category such as students."


The whole publication about EIF is available at EU Fund Link:
Ref: UK Border Agency, http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/

USA: Labor Day Holiday
The United States is approaching the Labor Day Weekend Holiday. The Holiday which is officially on Monday, September 1, 2008. It is a customary practice among businesses in both private and public to close operations during this Holiday. There are some businesses however that remains open for public access.

Suggestion: Review your appointments on that day (September 1st 2008) as you may find that the office you will be transacting business will not be opened on that day.

For more inquiries about the above, please send an email to: info@jntconsulting.com

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